"What is in it for me."

stuckinarut2

So if there was no promise of a "reward" for faithfulness...no paradise...no eternal life etc, how many witnesses would stick with the "faith"?

Sure, the reward might be "making God happy", but he supposedly holds out the paradise promise with eternal life as an incentive right?

Before anyone says, that's what satans challenge regarding Job was about, just think. Job's faithfulness in the story WAS rewarded in a huge degree...so all who NOW read that are left to conclude that faithfulness equals "something is in it for me!"

If the society says tomorrow that "due to new light, we have realised that there is NO eternal life in paradise", how many would stick around?

xjwsrock

Well I will answer this way. One of the best manipulation tools is the simple carot-and-stick. It works on humans and animals alike. You can dangle a reward/treat to motivate or threaten pain/punishment. It really works well when used simultaneously.

For JW's the paradise is the carrot and the biggest stick is Armageddon. Take away the paradise=take away the carrot=take away a huge manipulation tool.

So less would stick with it because they would be less emotionally manipulated to stick with it.

stuckinarut2

Very good points xjwsrock!

well put!

Perry

I am NOT ashamed to admit that I believe God so that I can better myself. Virtually everything we do as humans is for this purpose of self-preservation and betterment. Why should our interaction with God be any different?

It is a deception of the devil that says that unless our motive is 100% out of love for God, our effort to believe God is no good. Baloney.

We are born opposed to God, alienated from him, enemies of his kingdom and method of governing etc., etc., etc. The bible makes this clear. I didn't ask to be burdened with this opposition to God. I also didn't ask for God to make me a bunch of promises. But both have come to pass so that we could make a CHOICE. The enemy attempts to steal this choice away from us by any means necessary. We are so stupid we fall for most of his tricks.

Jesus was clear in his offer:

Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?
28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

I aint stupid (at least not anymore in regards to God), I have made my decision. God will continue to work on me from the inside and sculpt my sensitivities, affections, love for him etc. That's his job, not mine. He bought the whole farm when he got me. He can do with me whatever he wishes. I trust him and that is that.

TheLiberator

Agree with Perry.

1 Corinthians: 15. 32. If I fought with animals at Ephesus for human purposes, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, then "let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."

That's pretty much how Paul fealt.

keyser soze

I always found this to be one of the biggest frauds of the JW religion- their claim that they serve god solely out of love, and not due to any promised reward of eternal life. I, too, often wondered how many would stay in if the new world weren't constantly dangled in front of them.

OneGenTwoGroups

Carrot and stick.

Paradise or heaven and Gehenna for the jdubs

Heaven and hell for nominal Christians like Perry.

I see no difference. They serve a mob boss.

Perry

I see no difference. They serve a mob boss.

We will always serve someone or something at times against our will. That is the reality that people are not willing to face up to. Once you own up to that, a person can begin to do the math. The power of sin forces people to do its will even when that person wills not to at times. Oh, the sins that you are OK with are not so much of a problem .... until they begin to control you. But they ones you are not Ok with are the ones that destroy your life the quickest.

When a person gets born again, the power of sin is broken. Another principle is available for service. It is a process called sanctification..

I have served both in my life. I can assure you that Sin is a very nasty task master, and God has a very easy yoke and a very light load. This of course is all very offensive to our pride, which cannot be fixed. It can only be crucified.

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Pittsburgh tim

I would hate to be in the doorway of the Kingdom Hall since the rush for the exit would rival a burning building!

Lol😄

Divergent

Perry:

God has a very easy yoke and a very light load.

Could you be more specific?

"What is in it for me."

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